Whitecaps’ Joe Cannon fired up to reclaim No. 1 role

Netminder saves honeymoon for later so he can give teammate Knighton a battle for starting goaltending gig

Vancouver Whitecaps Goalie Joe Cannon goes all out but can’t stop a shot fired by Los Angeles Galaxy star David Beckam in a July 2012 Major League Soccer game at BC Place Stadium.

Photograph by: Steve Bosch
, PNG

METRO VANCOUVER — He is newly married, but now the question is: Can Joe Cannon win back his old job?

The veteran Vancouver Whitecaps goalkeeper, who missed the first three days of training camp this week after getting hitched on Saturday in Saratoga, Calif., has been told the No. 1 job — which he lost late last season to Brad Knighton — will be an open competition.

It’s what he wanted and it’s what he prepared for, acknowledging Thursday that in the off-season he had “kept in shape a little bit more than I have in the past.”

Now part of that might have been just to make sure he looked good in his wedding suit. But he clearly still feels like he’s got something left for Major League Soccer.

So, too, does head coach Martin Rennie.

“Right now, it’s up to Joe and Brad to fight it out and see who becomes the No. 1 and then, if they are the No. 1, to stay the No. 1,” said Rennie, who went with Knighton for last season’s final eight matches after Cannon surrendered a weak free-kick goal to Portland in mid-August.

Knighton, 27, responded well, finishing with three shutouts and an 0.81 goals against average in nine MLS matches.

Cannon was extremely sharp early for the ’Caps in 2012. He finished with eight clean sheets and a 1.34 goals against average.

“Joe’s had a fantastic career, but he’s also someone who brings great leadership to the locker-room,” said Rennie. “He’s a really good guy, a good character.

“He seems invigorated by getting married, coming back and being part of the group again. So it’s up to those guys to fight it out. They have both shown how good they can be, so I think we’re in a good position there.”

While Cannon, plucked off the San Jose roster in the expansion draft before the 2011 season, clearly wants to be a starting goalkeeper. He seemed to insinuate Thursday that he could live with a backup role if he’s beaten out.

“Regardless of what happens on the field, I think in the locker-room you’ve got to be someone who’s a voice, kind of in a leadership role. But that’s for the group to decide and for characters to step up throughout the season.

“Obviously with the experience I have, there’s going to be times when maybe some direction is needed and if that happens, then I’m definitely there for the group.”

Cannon called his wedding to Marisa, his girlfriend of three years, “just an incredible day.

“Unfortunately, there was no time to really celebrate with a honeymoon or anything.”

There could have been if he had picked a better date.

“To be honest, we didn’t know when training camp started — at our exit meetings (Rennie) had no clue when pre-season was going to start — and if you know anything about wedding locations, you really have to book far in advance.

“Historically, (last) weekend hasn’t been a training camp weekend and the weekend before was already booked. It’s unfortunate I had to miss some days, but in saying that, it was the best day of my life. I’m just happy that everything’s worked out.”

He could even joke about the fact it took more than three years for he and Marisa to tie the knot.

“Three years for me, but for her it was like dog years, you’ve got to multiply by seven. For her, it seemed like it was 21 years.”

PENALTY KICKS: Daigo Kobayashi, the Japanese midfielder the Whitecaps are interested in, watched practice Thursday. Rennie said there was no contract yet and there are “four or five players we’re in discussions with and we’re quite close to going one way or another with. I’ve been involved in so many situations, whether it be players coming or players going, where you think one thing is going to happen and then something else does.”

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